Kerala high court declines to stay its order on early second dose of Covid vaccination

KOCHI: The high court on Monday declined to stay a single bench’s judgment allowing early second-dose vaccination for those paying for it.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly was considering an appeal filed by the Union government against the single bench’s judgment of September 6. Considering a petition filed by Kitex group, the single bench had directed for providing early second-dose paid vaccination for the petitioner’s workers.

On Monday, the Union government contended that there is no need to sustain the single bench’s judgment as the workers of the petitioner would have completed the 84-day mandatory waiting period for availing second-dose vaccine by now.

However, this was opposed by a counsel representing Kitex group, who submitted that the contention is legally and factually incorrect. The government should not be allowed to take advantage of not complying with the single bench’s order until now, the counsel submitted, adding that the employees haven’t received second-dose vaccination until now. Asking the petitioner to furnish details of vaccination of employees, the court has scheduled a hearing on Thursday.